


i wanna wake up

by nunaseaweed



Series: Don't Threaten Me With a Good Time [8]
Category: Keeper of the Lost Cities Series - Shannon Messenger
Genre: F/M, keefe is in his coma, tam is whipped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:01:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29395893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nunaseaweed/pseuds/nunaseaweed
Summary: People in comas can hear everything.
Relationships: Dex Dizznee/Biana Vacker, Keefe Sencen/Tam Song
Series: Don't Threaten Me With a Good Time [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2159292
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	i wanna wake up

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: ze plot is mine ze characters are Shannon Messenger’s  
> Notes:  
> -takes place right after Legacy  
> -the scene in the middle isn’t really relative, it’s just because I wanted too, so I did  
> -cussing  
> -WARNING: mentions of homophobia

Tam didn’t like emotions. He just wasn’t that type of person. He didn’t go around giving hugs and crying tears of joy. Because, no.

But it was kind of hard not to cry when someone you pretended to hate, even though you loved him, ended up in a coma because of his evil mother. Honestly, Keefe deserved better. Better than Gisela, better than Cassius. He didn’t deserve someone who would harm him for her own purposes. 

So Tam cried, only in private of course. He hadn’t moved from Keefe's side unless it was to use the bathroom. Linh had begged him to come home, but he always said no. 

Sophie came by twice a week. Tam knew that she would’ve been the one at Keefe’s side if her parents hadn’t forced her to stay home and rest. Everyone else came by once a week. They called it “The Weekly Worrying-About-Keefe Sleepover”. It was surprisingly the most joyful part of the week for most of them. As Biana had stated, “It’s better to grieve together than alone.” 

But when they weren’t there, and Elwin was out and Ro stood behind the door, Tam let himself go. He stopped pretending he was fine, that he was only there to pay a debt. He didn’t even know why he kept up with it anymore, it wasn’t like they believed it. When he was alone, with just the sleeping Keefe, Tam cried and hugged him, with the occasional kiss on the forehead. 

One day Sophie came by and started talking to Keefe, telling him to wake up. When Tam looked at her like she was dumb and asked her what she was doing, she explained that people can hear in their comas. At the time, Tam thought it was stupid. But eventually he started doing it too, Sophie even caught him a few times. He always resorted to his usual sneering self before she thought anything was up.

“Sophie tells me people can hear in comas. Seems too good to be true, so I guess I’m safe. I can tell you everything I’ve been wanting to tell you. Well for starters, I don’t hate you,” Tam chuckled. “It was starting to get hard to act like I do. I don’t hate you Keefe, at all. I might have when I first met you but, not now, kinda the opposite now.” Tam stopped and looked at the wall for a moment. “You know how everyone looks for the perfect words, the perfect time. What’s the point, life’s too short anyway. It isn’t perfect either so you’re never gonna find the moment. So I’ll just tell you Keefe.

“I love you, Sencen. I love everything about you, from your ‘glorious’ hair to the way you’re broken inside. I never really believed them when they said that we’re alike, but I see it now. You are just as hurt as I am. But while I deal with it by being cut off, you cope with it by faking your happiness and hiding behind jokes, pranks, and laughs. Because your whole life seems like a prank. We’re both just waiting for the day where our parents will show up and say ‘Just kidding, we got you good there,’ but we both know it's not gonna come. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be happy. We have each other, and each other is better than nothing. 

“And, I know it’s wrong. If my Dad knew how I felt, he would kill me and say it was mercy. That he was saving the world from me. The thing is I’ve never really liked girls, or anyone for that matter. I was only eleven when Linh and I went to Exillium, and it wasn’t really a place where you’d develop a crush. So yeah, my first crush was, is, you. But it doesn’t really matter anyway. It’s kind of obvious that you like Sophie, even if she likes Fitz, and why would you like me at all. Linh asks why I don’t hope, and it's because of this. If I don’t hope I don’t get disappointed.”

Tam turned away from Keefe and brushed his silver bangs out of his face. “I miss you Keefe. I never thought I’d say this but, I’d give everything to hear you call me Bangs Boy again.” Tam got a blanket and sat back down in his chair. He pulled the blanket up to his chin and whispered, “Too good to be true,” then closed his eyes and fell asleep. 

  * ❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•



“What do you think about queer people?” Biana asked.

It was one of the “Weekly-Worrying-About-Keefe Sleepovers” and Biana and Dex were in their usual corner of the room, talking even though it was way past midnight. 

They did this every week, staying up late was the only way to make sure that everyone was asleep. The two had been dating for a month, but with everything going on, they hadn’t told anyone. About a week after “The Thing” happened, they found themselves telling Marella, Linh and Tam. But they couldn’t bring themselves to tell Sophie and Fitz. 

For one, Sophie had a lot on her plate. Dex wanted to tell her but she was always busy. She did find time to spend with Dex, but everytime they hung out she always looked so stressed, and Dex didn’t want to dump this on her too. And for Fitz, it was simple. He would kill Dex. Before Sophie came to the Lost Cities, there was a guy that kept hitting on Biana. He asked her to the dance, and although she said no, Fitz found out and the boy mysteriously stopped going ten feet near Biana.

The sleepovers were some of the only times that everyone seemed calm, at least a little bit. They felt safe around each other. 

Dex turned his head to look at Biana, whose head was resting on his arm. “That was random.”

Bian looked at him, “I’m just saying what's your take on them. For me, love whomever you’d like. Your family really showed me how screwed up the matchmaking system and elvin stereotypes can be. It doesn’t matter. Fitz agrees with me, but I’m not sure about our parents.”

Dex smiled, “I agree with you too. It doesn’t matter who you love as long as you’re happy. I know I am.”

With a little blush Biana answered, “Me too.”

“Was there any specific reason for that question though?” Dex asked.

“Yeah, I think Tam’s gay.” Biana spoke very matter-a-factly.

“Don’t we all?” Dex joked, which earned him a soft punch in the shoulder.

“Well here comes the less believable part, I think he has a crush on Keefe.”

Dex looked over to where Tam was sleeping on his chair, with his hand on the side of Keefe’s cot. “You may not be so far-fetched about that.”

Biana followed his gaze, “What if Keefe likes him back. I know that he most likely likes Sophie, but what if that’s his cover, just like his jokes. He uses jokes to hide his sadness and liking Sophie to hide that he’s gay. He probably doesn’t want anyone to know. Especially since he and Tam’s parents are likely to be the ones who would call them defects. They’re horrible people.”

Dex looked astonished. “You came up with all of that?” With Biana’s nod he smiled. “You are very perceptive.”

“Its a gift.” 

“You are a gift,” Dex crooned as he pulled Biana closer to him.

Biana, whose head was now on Dex’s chest, smiled. “You never stop do you?”

“I don’t intend to.”

Suddenly a new voice spoke out of the shadows.

“Too close for comfort Dizznee,” said Fitz, who was creepily staring at the two from eight feet away.

Dex and Biana jumped apart. “Why are you still awake?”

“Sophie elbowed me in the stomach.” Sophie always slept between Fitz and Keefe’s cot, Biana and Dex slept on the other side of them in the corner of the room, and Linh and Marella slept on Tam’s side. “Then I heard you two talking.”

“So you eavesdropped? How much did you hear?” Biana tried not to sound scared, Dex and Biana had been talking about “other things” before their recent topic. 

“Just since you mentioned Tam might be gay. Why, was there something you didn’t want me to hear?”

Before Biana could say anything, Dex responded, “No, just, what do you think about Keefe?”

Fitz was silent for a little bit then he spoke in a more hushed voice. “Before everything happened, he hailed me and asked me what I thought about queer people. I told him I didn’t care who people love, but when I asked him why he asked, he ended the hail. Then, the last time I saw him before he went into a coma, he told me he didn’t like Sophie. Again he didn’t let me answer or anything, just left. I didn’t know what it was about until I heard Biana’s theory.”

“You mean, I’m right?” Biana asked.

Fit sounded distressed, “I don’t know okay. I’m just gonna go to sleep.”

Once he heard the sound of Fitz’s soft snoring, Dex spoke again, “Well, that was a close one.” 

Biana snuggled up to him again, “It’s weird but, I kinda liked it.”

“Almost getting caught?” Dex was bewildered.

“Yeah like, adrenaline or whatever. It’s exciting.” Biana paused in thought, then got up and tugged the blanket off Dex. “Come on, let’s go.”

“What? Where?” Dex questioned as he shivered and clawed for the blanket that Biana held just out of reach.

“Outside into the hall.” When Dex didn’t move, Biana teased him, “I’m going.”

Dex got up and scrambled after her. Ro was sleeping somewhere, so they were alone. They were out in the hall in their pajamas with a light breeze blowing. He asked, “Why are we out here?”

Biana smiled, “You look very cute with a bedhead.”

Dex shivered again and looked at her, “So what, do I get a kiss?”

“Maybe…”

“Biana, I was joking. Your brother’s right inside, what if we get caught?”

“What’s the worst that could happen, plus that’s if.”

Dex, shocked, pointed at himself. “I could get killed.”

Biana put her hand on his shoulder “He won’t kill you.” Seeing Dex’s unconvinced look she added, “That much.”

“That much?!” 

Biana smirked, “Oh shut up.” 

“Hey-” Biana cut Dex off by pressing her lips against his.

  * ❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•



The next morning came around and everybody woke up around the same time. Yawning and stretching, the young elves sat up.

Linh tapped Dex on the shoulder. “You’ve got something right there,” she spoke as she pointed at her lips.

Dex realized what she was talking about and whispered, “Oh, shit.” He quickly wiped his mouth on his sleeve as Linh laughed.

Biana cracked her neck and Sophie looked at her with a look of envy. “How can you crack your neck? Mine’s so stiff.”

“Well no offense, but Dex’s chest is pretty much a pillow.”

“You’re lucky.” She turned toward Fitz and slapped his stomach, “Why you gotta have abbs?”

Marella, Linh, and Tam laughed as Sophie asked Dex for a neck massage. When he obliged, everyone started asking for one. 

When he finished with Sophie he looked at Tam, “You want one? Your necks gotta be stiff from sleeping on that chair for so long.”

Tam nodded and Dex gave him a massage. 

When he was finished, a very sleepy voice asked, “Can I have a massage? My neck hurts like hell.”

Everyone’s heads whipped toward the cot as Keefe sat up in it. “What? Is my hair messed up?” He frantically began patting his hair down. 

Marella was the first one to speak. “Your hair is fine, dumbass.”

“Why thank you, Marella. Now why is everyone staring at me?”

Dex answered him, “Do you not realize how long it's been?”

“No.”

“5 weeks,” Tam answered. “5 weeks since we heard you talk. 5 weeks since we heard a bad joke. 5 weeks since we’ve seen a prank. 5 weeks since someone insulted me. 5 weeks since I’d left your side, dumbass.”

“Well damn, life sounds bleak.” 

“Are you okay?” Sophie asked.

As Keefe nodded, Linh sighed. “I knew we were forgetting something. Someone hail Elwin before he kills us.”

“Gotcha,” Biana said as she pulled out her imparter.

“Am I not gonna get that neck massage?” Keefe whined while looking at Dex.

Dex smiled, “I’m coming.”

A while afterwards, Elwin was checking up Keefe after sending everyone outside. Except Tam, of course, Elwin knew there was no reasoning with him.

While Elwin went to go get a bottle of youth for Keefe to drink, Keefe pulled on Tam’s sleeve. Tam leaned down so the other boy could whisper into his ear. 

“I don’t like Sophie that way but, she was right. I could hear everything.”


End file.
